The ship was declared completely upright shortly after 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on Tuesday.

Franco Gabrielli, the head of Italy's Civil Protection
Authority, said the vessel was now sitting on a platform built on the
sea bed.

"A perfect operation, I must say," said Franco Porcellacchia,
leader of the technical team for Costa Cruise, the owner of the ship.

He added that no environmental spill was detected so far.

"I think the whole team is proud of what they achieved
because a lot of people didn't think it could be done," said salvage
master Nick Sloane - but he added "it's not over yet".

When the vessel was finally righted in the early hours of Tuesday morning, there was a giant cheer
from people gathered at Giglio harbour, says the BBC's Matthew Price,
and rescue workers have been out celebrating with coffees.

As daylight broke, the now-upright, brown hulk of the ship
was visible - its hull muddy and crushed from 20 months spent submerged
on its side.

Booms and nets were put in place before the operation started - to
combat any pollution threat in what is a marine national park.

The 114,000-gross tonnage ship - twice as heavy as the
Titanic - was on Monday raised from rocks on which it had been lying and
roll up onto her keel.

More than 50 enormous chains and winches were used to break the ship away from the reef - the process known as parbuckling.